The second of three Ranch Profitability Workshops by the Plank Stewardship Initiative, Western Sustainability Exchange, and the Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association. Participants are encouraged to attend all three as each class is different and builds upon previous lessons.

The first of three Ranch Profitability Workshops by the Plank Stewardship Initiative, Western Sustainability Exchange, and the Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association. Participants are encouraged to attend all three as each class is different and builds upon previous lessons.

This one-stop shopping extravaganza features handmade toys, apparel, jewelry, baked goods, artwork, kids’ activities, and more, and admission is free to the public! It's inside the Livingston Civic Center from 9-4 on December 1st. You can find more information on our Holiday Farmers Market page.

Please join WSE and Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association for a one-day workshop with Dave Pratt, creator of Ranching for Profit, as he shares insights from two of his most popular short courses. Dave is one of the most sought-after and well-respected educators on sustainable ranching in North America. Whether the topic is ranch profitability, ecology and cell grazing, or family/business relationships, his workshops give each participant a new perspective about ranching and business. You’ll take home tools that can be immediately applied to increase profit and improve the land.

Dave Pratt

Ranch Management Consultants

This one-day workshop will cover the following:

Cattlemen vs. Grassmen: The ins and outs of cell grazing

See why the most profitable cattlemen are grassmen first.

Find out if your ranch is structured to work with, or to fight, nature.

Learn the five essential principles of cell grazing.

Three secrets for increasing profit

See if your ranch is really a business or just a low-paying, physically demanding job.

Learn the difference between economics and finance and why economics always comes first.

Discover the only three things that any business can do to increase profit.

Use the RFP benchmarks to find out which one applies to your business right now.

Let twelve chefs surprise your tastebuds at this year's Harvest Celebration. Join us at Chico Hot Springs for a local foods feast to support the tremendous work of Western Sustainability Exchange.

Harvest Celebration is a benefit to support and celebrate the legacy of our region through local sustainable food. It is WSE's premier fundraising event and provides important financial support to our work.

Here’s a sample of the menu. Just scroll down to purchase tickets. We hope to see you there!

DescriptionIn the Northern Rockies, ranchers not only produce beef, they steward some of the most iconic wildlife habitat, water resources, and native plant communities in North America. The challenges they face are complex and often misunderstood. Whether you are a rancher, student, NGO, or agency worker – you might find yourself asking what tools are available that can help me be more productive and protect the health of this important landscape?

In this clinic, you’ll hear stories of lessons learned by ranchers and experienced range riders. You’ll learn about the many tools ranchers can use to tackle tough issues– including range riding, low-stress livestock handling, predator behavior, carcass management, and community-based problem solving. You’ll take away practical advice and inspiration that may help your ranch or community – wherever you are – address complex issues on the land.

Who should attend?· Existing and aspiring Range Riders· Ranchers and/or landowners· State or Federal Agency Representatives· NGO professionals· University students

Please note: Range riding in this ecosystem (rough terrain, predator presence etc) requires perfect teamwork between horse and rider, so we cannot put a group of trainees on unfamiliar horses in this setting. We will spend ample time hiking and working with horses/livestock in the field, but no horseback riding will be included.

August 8th is Plein Air on the Yellowstone Day sponsored by the Livingston Center for Art & Culture and American Bank. Plein air painting is the art of painting outdoors. Artists will set up their easels in and around the Farmers Market while shoppers can observe them working quickly and adapting to changing conditions.

The musical guest will be Dan Dubuque, playing a lap slide guitar, sponsored by the Livingston Business Improvement District.https://youtu.be/ZPmoKPCbo3o

July is Montana Open Land Month, and the Livingston Farmers Market plans to celebrate this on July 25th, which they’re calling Open Land Day. To celebrate outdoor activities, the Active Transportation Coalition and Timber Trails are collaborating to hold a bicycle rodeo at the market and to provide information about active transportation planning in Livingston. The Southwest Bear Education Working Group will have a great display of bear pelts and skulls along with information about proper food storage techniques and bear spray instruction using inert spray. They may even bring a few surprises. Montana Outdoor Science School (Moss) will bring their animal ambassadors to charm the kids. Their hissing cockroaches were a big hit at prior farmers markets. Petty John’s Underground will be the musical guest.

July 11th is Fitness Day: Body, Mind, & Soul, sponsored by Livingston Pilates and Breathing Room Yoga. Join us for live demonstrations and learn proper techniques of breath and movement from these energizing studios.

Curious about pilates? Livingston Pilates will be teaching 15-20 minute classes on the grass for you to try out throughout the event.

World traveler and one-man band Brian Ernst will be playing upbeat acoustic music with a variety of instruments, sponsored by the City of Livingston.

Independence Day will see Doc Tari, a one-man band playing traditional American music and original compositions using acoustic and electric guitars, harmonica, foot-pedal drums, and vocals, sponsored by the Livingston Business Improvement District.

Say YES and come to YES Kids Day at the Livingston Farmers Market on Wednesday, June 27th from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Miles Band Shell Park next to the Civic Center. This special event celebrates Western Sustainability Exchange’s Young Entrepreneurial Stewards (YES) program. Kids who want to have a booth will get a space for free whether or not they attended a YES camp or YES club meeting, so there should be lots of creative kids’ booths. Child Care Connections will be coming from Bozeman to give out free bicycle helmets for children. It’s first come, first serve and they always run out, so get there early. It’s one of the only times they visit Livingston with free helmets. The Livingston Police Department will have a booth with some fun games and prizes, and Joe Brooks Trout Unlimited will be offering free fly casting instruction to kids of all ages, including adults who are young at heart. People can play “Blind Date with a CD” at Yellowstone Public Radio’s booth and walk away with some great mystery music while their kids color or play along. Crowd favorites Aaron Howard and Sarah Price will be harmonizing on their covers and original tunes. Thank you to Northwestern Energy and ERA Landmark for sponsoring this day.

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons will be available starting on June 27th at Western Sustainability Exchange’s booth between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. until supplies run out. Seniors 60 and over who make under a certain amount can apply for these coupons, which allow them to get $50 worth of Montana-grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, and honey from participating vendors for free.

This Wednesday is Community Health Day at Western Sustainability Exchange’s Livingston Farmers Market. This special event is a great way to meet Livingston’s health care professionals without an appointment in a fun and relaxed setting. The Granite Sports Medicine team will be having a blast playing games and giving away prizes. Try your aim at Cornhole or enter the raffle for a hat, tee shirt, or stainless steel tumbler, or just stop by for a free mini sunscreen. Their providers would love to answer any questions you may have on dry needling or lifting form and to make recommendations on your running shoes or any other subject that sparks your curiosity. Their Care Coordination team can explain direct access to you and how your insurance covers physical therapy. Stop by their booth and ask them questions or just to say hi! They will be there to help and have fun!

Livingston HealthCare will have staff from several departments, including Women’s Health physician Denise Helin, MD, pediatrician Heather DiCross, MD, UrgentCare, and the Wound Care Clinic. You can get information about 3D mammography from LHC’s Imaging Services and learn about the Family Birth Center’s upcoming free prenatal classes. LHC’s booth will offer physical therapy screenings and hands-only CPR instruction with Emergency Department Manager, Stacy Kohler, RN. There will also be a meet and greet with LHC CEO Deb Anczak and free giveaways and prizes, so don’t miss out!

Western Sustainability Exchange puts on the farmers market every Wednesday from May 30th through September 19th between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Miles Band Shell Park, rain or shine. This week’s music will feature The Ridgeway Collective.

Wildfire Preparedness Day will kick off the farmers market season on May 30th. Park County FireSafe Coalition will offer wildfire safety information and organize activities for the kids, including photo ops with Smokey Bear and a fire engine. There will also be demonstrations for Bystander CPR. The Park High Jazz Department will provide music.

As always, public admission is free for this weekly community event on the banks of the Yellowstone River, where you can enjoy locally-grown produce and meat, quality handmade crafts, jewelry, and artwork, food and drinks, and entertainment.

WSE’s Livingston Farmers Market kicks off on Wednesday, May 30th, and will run from 4:30-7:30 pm every Wednesday through September 19th at Miles Band Shell Park, next to the Livingston Civic Center. This destination event will have locally grown produce and meat, baked goods, prepared foods, beer, and local arts, crafts, and jewelry. It’s a great place to come for dinner and socialize, stock up on locally grown foods, shop from local artisans, learn about community resources, or just relax and enjoy the view of the Yellowstone River and the Absaroka Mountain Range while listening to live music. As always, admission is free.